A bit about me...
Ever since I can remember, I've been fascinated by work. My grandmother owned her own business, and as a child I was spellbound by her stories of managing employees. My parents taught me about the value of work from a young age, and a series of wonderful jobs in high school cemented my interest.
My first career was in baking and pastry. I graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, and I subsequently worked in restaurants, bakeries, chocolatiers, and a high-end hotel. At one restaurant, I observed that my coworkers from traditionally discordant demographic groups were always laughing and joking around. This was striking because members of these groups often fought outside of the workplace, if they talked at all. I wanted to read about what features of a business could alter the relationships between people, but I couldn't quite find a book that addressed what I was witnessing.
Several years later, an undergraduate course in organizational behavior gave me a vocabulary to articulate my questions. It also introduced me to scholarly research, and opened my eyes to the many perspectives through which I could examine the workplace. It was this course that was pivotal in translating my curiosity about work to actionable research interests.
I now split my time between research, teaching, and spending quality time with my family. In my limited spare time, I bake, travel, and make jewelry. My baking, while once extravagant, is now primarily limited to birthday cakes for friends and colleagues, and my son often helps design (and taste test!) my creations.
My travel is somewhat more extensive. Except during the COVID-19 pandemic, I have visited a new country at least once a year since I was 18 years old. To date, I have been fortunate to visit countries in Europe, North America, South America, Asia, and the Middle East.